In the decade leading to the recent
commodity boom, which peaked in 2007-08, several
resource-rich, low-income countries displayed high rates of
gross domestic product (GDP) growth while social indicators
did not improve significantly. It is well known that, in
itself, the widely tracked GDP may not be the most relevant
summary of aggregate economic performance in all places at
all times. This note suggests that for countries with

This report proposes a growth strategy
for Sudan that reduces its dependence on oil, while building
an economic foundation for a diversified, inclusive and
sustainable growth path. Specifically, Sudan's near
term strategy should focus on: a) developing and maintaining
the necessary enabling environment for growth, specifically
macroeconomic stability and effective fiscal management
(chapter one); b) implementing policies aimed at improving

Improving the investment climate is a
key pillar of the World Bank's private sector
development strategy. Without a good investment climate,
firms and entrepreneurs of all types-from farmers to
micro-enterprises to local manufacturing concerns and
multinationals-have few opportunities and incentives to
invest productively, create jobs, and expand, enter and
remain in the formal economy, and thereby contribute to

More forest area is being designated for
use by local communities and indigenous peoples. In a
growing number of countries legislation is being introduced
to ensure that local partners share in the benefits of
forest operations and participate as active stakeholders in
the sustainable use of forest resources. Private sector
investment in the forest sector is increasing as well. For
businesses in an expanding range of investment settings,

Poverty reduction on a large scale
depends on empowering those who are most motivated to move
out of poverty-poor people themselves. But if empowerment
cannot be measured, it will not be taken seriously in
development policy making and programming. Building on the
"Empowerment and Poverty Reduction Sourcebook,"
this volume outlines a conceptual framework that can be used
to monitor and evaluate programs centered on empowerment

Globally, an estimated 24 percent of the
disease burden (healthy life years lost) and an estimated 23
percent of all deaths (premature mortality) are attributable
to environmental risks (World Health Organization, or WHO
2006). The burden of disease is unequally shared, with the
children and the poor being particularly affected. Among
children between the ages 0 and 14, the proportion of deaths
attributable to environmental risks, such as poor water and

Malawi needs to focus on exports to
maintain and broaden its current inspiring levels of
economic growth. The focus of future policy should therefore
be on reforms that improve competitiveness in global and
regional markets. This does not require a fundamental shift
in direction, but instead a rebalancing of policy and
expenditures to support an outward-oriented development
framework. Until the recent global financial crisis,

This note presents relevant
interventions that have aimed to stimulate rural economies a
natural disaster based on case studies from the Philippines,
Turkey, and Pakistan. Introducing new, untested
infrastructure methods or designs involves careful analysis
and may delay reconstruction. If this level of analysis is
not completed, the reconstructed infrastructure may not meet
expectations. For example, in Turkey, the Erzincan

Income inequality in Latin America ranks
among the highest in the world. It can be traced back to
the unequal distribution of assets (especially land and
education) in the region. But the extent to which asset
inequality translates into income inequality depends on the
redistributive capacity of the state. This paper documents
the performance of Latin American fiscal systems from the
perspective of income redistribution using newly-available

This country note for Azerbaijan is part
of a series of country briefs that summarize information
relevant to climate change and agriculture for three
countries in the Southern Caucasus Region, with a particular
focus on climate and crop projections, adaptation and
mitigation options, policy development and institutional
involvement. The note series has been developed to provide a
baseline of knowledge on climate change and agriculture for

The Niger Diagnostic Trade Integration
Study (DTIS) has been prepared under the Integrated
Framework (IF) for trade related technical assistance to
least developed countries in response to a request from the
Government of Burkina Faso. The study is to build the
foundation for accelerated growth by enhancing the
integration of its economy into regional and global markets.
This Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) is intended

This report presents the outcomes of the
functional review of Romania's agricultural
administration. Given the sectoral and territorial relevance
of its regulatory domain, Romania s Agricultural and Rural
Development Administration is a key administrative body
undergoing this Functional Review. The review will examine
whether the policy goals and objectives of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) and its agencies